LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Channel 13 is making sure locals have their voices heard when they bring us an issue they’re dealing with. Speech Language Pathologist Emily Swogger was one such Las Vegan who came to our latest Let’s Talk community event last week.
On Monday, we went to her office where between 80 and 85 pediatric clients get speech, occupational and physical therapy services.
WATCH | Channel 13 takes Medicaid concern from local straight to Gov. Lombardo
Each week, Swogger explained, Medicaid reimbursement payments come in. 90% of her clients’ services are covered in some way by the federal program.
She said she relies on Medicaid “to keep the lights on, pay rent, pay the employees, and pay into their 401K’s.”
Right now, she’s not sure when she’ll see her next check. Her application for re-validation for her Medicaid provider contract is still pending online, which means it’s not active.
The backlog, Swogger believes, is being compounded by a temporary pause on all new provider Medicaid contracts nationwide. That’s part of an effort to combat from in the home health and hospice industry.
Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo backs that federal push here in Nevada. During the 2025 legislative session, the position of Medicaid Inspector General was created within the Nevada Health Authority.
On Tuesday, Channel 13 had the chance to ask Governor Lombardo directly about Swogger’s concerns.
In part, he said, “we can't confirm that, that we're basically going off what she is saying. So, we would like to confirm that, and that's easy to reach out to health services via the state either online or in person or on the phone. We can help her through that process.”
Gov. Lombardo also said, “we will respond to it once we receive it,” when Channel 13 asked about a letter she sent this month by Swogger to his office.
We then went back to Emily’s office to get her reaction to the Governor’s response.
“It would’ve been nice to hear him seem a little bit more shocked and concerned and maybe less defensive,” said Swogger.
She added, “I want to thank him for responding. It’s a little disheartening because I have sent a formal letter requesting assistance on this. I have called his office multiple times.”
She said she wants to sit down and have a conversation with Gov. Lombardo, to try and get a handle on the issue which she said doesn’t just impact her.
Swogger did tell us she did have a Medicaid inspector come in on Tuesday, requesting information on her business. It was a promising step, she said, because she’s seen that before when it comes to the process of Medicaid contract re-validation.
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